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NHF: PRRS is also a summer disease

Our latest collaboration with the National Hog Farmer was written by the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Program team regarding the incidence of PRRS in the summer.

Although our understanding of disease and control methods has improved in recent years, we continue to learn new features of PRRSV epidemiology in part thanks to the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project. One of the most recent questions that we have addressed based on enquires from MSHMP participants is whether PRRS incidence during the summer was higher in recent years (i.e. 2016-17) compared to previous years (i.e. 2009-15). We know that PRRSV outbreaks tend to have a seasonal pattern and that they are more frequent during the fall and winter, but we know little about the breaks that happen in the summer and spring.

In order to dig into this question, we analyzed MSHMP data from 2009 to 2017 which included 1,329 outbreaks. Of these, 66% of the breaks occurred during fall and winter and 14% and 20% of the breaks occurred during summer and spring, respectively. Although there were fewer breaks in the spring and summer, the number of breaks in warmer seasons was still significant which represents an on-going frustration to producers because the “PRRSV season” is supposed to be over.

As part of the analysis we learned that between 3% and 6% of the herds break yearly during the summer and spring seasons, respectively. This represents approximately 83 herds out of the 917 reporting in the MSHMP database. If we estimate that the average sow farm has 3,000 sows, then almost a quarter of a million sows break yearly during these two seasons.

Remember, although the risk of PRRSV introduction is lower during the spring and summer, PRRSV breaks still happen, so biosecurity efforts should not be decreased. PRRSV is a sneaky virus so keep your biosecurity up, even in the summer.

All of our collaborations with the National Hog Farmer can be found here.

Science Page: Incidence Year 2017/2018 Annual Summary

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

This week, Dr. Cesar Corzo is giving us a summary of the 2017/2018 year.

Objective 1 – Disease incidence and monitoring

PRRS – Unfortunately 31% of the herds in the project broke with PRRS making it the third highest incidence in the MSHMP history. The epidemic initiated at the same time of the year following previous years’ pattern. As with previous years, we continue to see viral introduction into 1) status 4 breeding herds in low dense regions and 2) filtered sow herds reminding us that there continues to be unanswered questions from a transmission standpoint.

PEDv – The year ended at 8% (1% increase compared to the previous year) with a series of outbreaks occurring in 12 farms that had never been exposed to PEDv.

PDCoV – Even though we have not been including a graph we continue to monitor for this virus. There has been minimal activity.

SVV – Incidence of this virus remained low and did not follow the seasonal pattern seen in the previous 2 years.

Atypical CNS Cases – These viruses continue to be found in specific cases with no apparent trend.

Objective 2 – Prospective monitoring of PRRSv

PRRSv sequences continue to be collected building a library for MSHMP participant use. We have used this approach a few times while outbreak investigations have been conducted. We are currently conducting monitoring in a three-company based region detecting newly emerged viruses. On the other hand, the database is being analyzed in a way that provides epidemiological sense. We will report more on this in an upcoming report.

Objective 3 – Develop capacity to capture and analyze movement data

We have been able to generate a process to record movement data (i.e. starting and ending location,speed, trip duration) together with a visualization package in Google Earth. Although we have proved the concept we have faced technology challenges during the development phase and we are currently revisiting our approach.

Objective 4 – To expand participation of producers to allow all to be involved

Expansion continues with existing participants adding more farms. There have been other production systems that have either signed the
enrollment forms and are in the process of submitting their data or other production companies that have verbally agreed to join.

DVM students: we invite you to apply to the Morrison Swine Innovator Prize!

Veterinary students: Are you shadowing a swine practitioner this summer or have you been involved in an interesting clinical case investigation? Did you work on your veterinary skills by designing a differential diagnosis list or working on a treatment plan? Did you investigate a problem by analyzing production records? Share your work at the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference to win the Morrison Swine Innovator Prize!

Attending the Leman Conference is a great opportunity for veterinary students who want to network with industry leaders. Submissions to enter in the selection to present at the DVM student session at the Leman Conference should be uploaded at z.umn.edu/MSIP by August 15th at the end of the day.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Perle Boyer at pboyer@umn.edu. For more information about the Morrison Swine Innovator Prize visit z.umn.edu/MSIP.

Beer and Bacon conversations: a new session at the Leman swine conference!

The organizing committee of the Allen D. Leman swine conference is proud to present a new session: Beer and Bacon conversations! The goal of this unique session is to invite industry leaders to share personal views and experiences with participants in a fun and relaxed environment.

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This year, we are honored that Dr. Matthew Turner, veterinarian and head of pork live operations at JBS, accepted our invitation.

A graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Turner joined JBS after being a staff swine veterinarian for Prestage Farms for more than 10 years. He was recognized by the American Association of Swine Veterinarian as the 2014 Swine Practitioner of the year and presented the Dr. Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture at the 2017 AASV annual meeting. Dr. Turner is currently an at large member of the Board of Directors of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC).

The session will be held at the InterContinental hotel on Sunday, September 16th at 5:15pm. Dr. Marie Culhane will get the conversation started but participation from the audience is more than welcome!

Seating for this event is limited. Do mot miss out by registering today!

Science Page: Effects of gestation pens versus stalls and wet versus dry feed on air contaminants in swine production (Part 2)

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

This week, we are sharing the second part of a scientific paper from faculty in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, regarding the effect of gestation pens versus group housing and dry versus wet feed on air contaminants. This week we are sharing the second part of the results, you may read the first half here.

Keypoints:

Concentration of pollutant levels in the finisher barn were distinctly higher during winter than during summer.
Use of a wet feed system reduced respirable endotoxin concentrations substantially.

Objective:

Evolving production practices in the swine industry may alter the working environment. The second part of this research project characterized the wet versus dry feed in finishing on air contaminant concentrations.

Methods:

Eight-hour time-weighted ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, respirable dust, respirable endotoxin, and carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature were measured regularly at stationary locations throughout a year in a facility with parallel finishing rooms using dry and wet feed delivery systems.

Results

All ammonia, respirable dust, and carbon dioxide concentrations were below relevant regulatory and recommended levels . Hydrogen sulfide concentrations were always below the regulatory levels but they reached one of the recommended threshold levels on two occasions in the dry feed room. Respirable endotoxin concentrations regularly exceeded the proposed health-based recommended occupational exposure limit during autumn in the dry feed room and in both rooms during winter.

In all cases, concentrations varied significantly as a function of time. Concentrations of respirable dust, endotoxin and carbon dioxide were distinctly higher during winter than during summer. Temperatures varied significantly with time, but this difference was driven more by the need of the growing piglets than by seasonal differences.

Conclusions

Use of a wet feed system reduced respirable endotoxin concentrations substantially. Changing ventilation rates in response to seasonal differences influenced contaminant concentrations more than feed type.

You can also read the full article on the journal’s website.